Raipur: In a major development in the high-profile Chhattisgarh liquor scam case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Raipur Zonal Office, has arrested a retired IAS officer, Niranjan Das
He has been charged under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. Following his arrest on December 19, Das was produced before the Special Court (PMLA) in Raipur, which remanded him to ED custody for three days until Tuesday (December 22). The ED’s probe originated from an FIR lodged by the Chhattisgarh Anti-Corruption Bureau/Economic Offences Wing (ACB/EOW) under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
Investigations have uncovered a well-orchestrated syndicate that operated during the previous Congress government (2019-2022), causing enormous losses to the state exchequer.
The scam is estimated to have generated proceeds of crime (POC) exceeding Rs 2,500 crore, with some assessments placing the figure between Rs 3,000-3,500 crore through illegal commissions, manipulation of liquor policies, and unchecked sale of unaccounted liquor.
According to the ED, Niranjan Das personally received around Rs 18 crore in illicit funds.
Evidence gathered from digital records, seized documents, and witness statements clearly established his active involvement as an accomplice in the liquor syndicate.
As a senior IAS officer, Das was deliberately given additional charge as Excise Commissioner and Secretary of the Excise Department to enable the scam’s execution. Instead of upholding his statutory responsibilities, he allegedly abandoned them, turning a blind eye to rampant revenue looting and allowing the syndicate to function freely. In return, he reportedly received monthly payments of Rs 50 lakh.
Das is accused of instructing field officers to promote the sale of illicit and unaccounted liquor in their jurisdictions, making his role pivotal in both the original corruption and the subsequent laundering of proceeds.
The scam revolved around a nexus of politicians, bureaucrats, and businessmen who manipulated liquor procurement, distribution, and sales through the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL). Tactics included price fixing, adulteration of country-made liquor, and issuance of unauthorised holograms.
Several high-profile individuals have already been arrested by the ED in this case, including retired IAS officer Anil Tuteja, businessmen Arvind Singh, Trilok Singh Dhillon, and Anwar Dhebar, ITS officer Arun Pati Tripathi, former Excise Minister and MLA Kawasi Lakhma, Chaitanya Baghel (son of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel), and former Deputy Secretary Soumya Chaurasia.
The investigation remains ongoing as the ED continues to trace additional financial trails and identify other potential beneficiaries of the scam.
(IANS)
